Thursday, July 25, 2013

Misc.

Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz and New Yorker Anthony Wiener should do coffee soon. I mean they both think anything goes in carrying out their duties. Wouldn't you love to be sitting at the next table and they discuss their philosophies. You know, I am beginning to think Schultz is setting up his former boss Mayor Berry for a more exciting campaign.

Okay, I am going to upset some people with this one. But I lost all respect for Eric Snowden when he fled the country and sought asylum with countries that have abysmal human rights records. I can't help but think he hurt the cause of transparency in government when he did this. He should have stood his ground in the USA, but in fact he is now nothing more that a little sociopathic spy in my eyes. I mean, come on, he flees to a country that puts bad rock bands in prison for acting out?

If Snowden hadn't put the data collection being done without our express permission in the spotlight, there wouldn't be as many Americans aware of what our government is doing. As to his flight, I think he didn't plan ahead, or perhaps he panicked.

Actually, the US has more of its citizens in prison than any other country that allows a count.

While I disagree that he's a coward or sociopath I too was baffled by his choice to tie himself up in legal limbo in Russia of all places... Still, no one's stopped paying attention to what he's done since then so I think the gambit is paying off... He's managed to vex and riddle world governments with this maneuver... Even a pawn can take down a kingdom...

You may not care for Hayden. That's fine. But just remember, Hayden is one thing, a government spying on its citizens is another.

I'd just take issue on one point. It's hard to see how he has harmed government transparency. Millions of people around the world are now aware of something, or a number of things, they had no clue about before.

Yesterday 205 members of the US house, including Michelle Lujan Grisham and Ben Ray Lujan, voted to end funding for the NSA program that collects phone records, going against the wishes of their party leadership and in the face of intense lobbying by the president and the NSA. That amendment failed, 205-217, but that's a sea change, as they say, that that many legislators now oppose that program, and that they feel they have that much leeway to go against the status quo. They know their voters are now aware that their government is spying on them and that they don't like it. It's all because of Hayden.

APD is in the midst of a civil war. After Schultz fired Dawn Roberto (revenge) The Eye on Albuquerque is accusing Schultz of adultery and naming the mistress.

Berry will not go on camera and say anything. He is saying he will keep Schultz as a $10,000 per month consultant.

What is going on? Albuquerque is the laughing stock (after Detroit) of the country. APD is being ripped to pieces by this and lives are being ruined.

Berry is toast for this election. At this point it belongs to Dinelli. Who would want this job now? Who would want to be chief? I heard my entire career that APD eats their young. What is going on confirms it.

After what happened to Bradley Manning, why wouldn't Snowden be afraid for his life in the US? He would have preferred asylum in some different countries, but they were too allied with or cowed by the US to offer. Or it was too risky to try to get there without the US interfering. Look what the US made Austria do to the President of Bolivia's plane! That has caused outrage in much of South America.

I think that, for all his mad computer skills, Ed Snowden was snowed by foreign governments and general self-interest. He is a pawn and when he no longer has any secrets to give (or sell), he will disappear. This type of espionage was way above his pay grade. I saw the press conference and Snowden looked trapped. He had much more ease about him when he was interviewed in Hong Kong. I doubt Putin will let this prize waltz off into another country.

Let's release all the illegal detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and think about war crime prosecution for the torture, extraordinary rendition, et al associated with the Afghan & Iraq wars before we go into the EDWARD Snowden affair, shall we?

I agree I am not really sure Banks is the right person for the job. I don't think there is anyone that is currently employed or recently retired from APD that would make a good Chief. No matter who the Mayor is. What a mess.....

About Me

Jim Baca has a strong record of visionary service to New Mexico. He retired as the State of New Mexico's Natural Resource Trustee 1n 2010. He has served as Mayor of the City of Albuquerque, as well as two prior terms as New Mexico’s elected State Land Commissioner. He served as the Director of the National Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior in the first Clinton Administration. Jim Baca also serves on the Boards of numerous non profit organizations including The Wilderness Society and the Wyss Foundation and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.
Baca has run a successful public affairs consulting practice when not serving in public office. He spends his retirement playing golf, attending board meetings, and generally doing what ever he wants to do.